The Western New York Flash won’t get a chance to defend their championship this summer. Women’s Professional Soccer is reportedly set to announce today that it’s suspending operations and there will not be a 2012 season, according to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl, who said players were informed via e-mail today of this decision.

Flash defender Ali Riley also tweeted, “Heartbreak.” The decision comes only six months after Pittsford’s Abby Wambach and the United States women turned in a stirring runner-up finish in the World Cup in Germany and only a few months before they’ll defend their Olympic title at this summer’s games in London. League officials are expected to make an official announcement this afternoon. Whether the top women’s pro league returns in 2013, or ever, is now in serious doubt. The Buffalo-based Flash were a big hit last year in Rochester in their inaugural season. They won the regular-season title with star players such as Brazil’s Marta, Canadian forward Christine Sinclair, Swedish national team captain Caroline Seger, popular forward Alex Morgan, all-league defender Ali Riley and emerging goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris. Coach Aaran Lines club captured the league crown by beating the Philadelphia Independence in front of a sellout crowd at Sahlen’s Stadium. But WPS has faced problems over the past few years, losing teams from its original lineup of eight in 2009.

Lagging sponsorship sales have been an issue for years, and last year WPS received a waiver from the U.S. Soccer Federation to operate as a professional league with only six teams: WNY, Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, New Jersey’s Sly Blue FC and magicJack, the franchise based in Boca Raton, Fla., whose controversial owner, Dan Borislow, has battled WPS over issues with operational procedures. Wambach, 31, the Our Lady of Mercy High graduate and arguably the league’s biggest star, and fellow U.S. national team star, goalkeeper Hope Solo, played for magicJack, which WPS terminated late last year dropping the league to only five clubs. Wambach and Solo are free agents and whether they, along with some other key U.S. players, played this season while also prepping for the Olympics has been a big question mark. Still, in December the USSF recently granted WPS another waiver to play with so few teams again in 2012 but included a provision that WPS must have six teams by 2013 and eight, the traditional minimum to operate as a league, by 2014. While the entrance of the Flash and magicJack, the former Washington Freedom, whom Borislow moved to Florida, in 2011 saved the league, Borislow and WPS officials are also in the midst of a court fight over its termination.

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Jeff DiVeronica has covered professional soccer and the Rhinos for the Democrat and Chronicle since the team's inception in 1996. "Devo's Direct Kicks" takes aim mostly at Rochester soccer, but will also highlight the USL, MLS and U.S. national team play. Devo, his nickname since college at St. John Fisher, also hosts two weekly radio shows each Saturday on WHTK-AM/FM (1280/107.3 or www.whtk.com). "Kick This!" (11 a.m.) features soccer talk, while the Canandaigua National Bank High School Sports Show (noon) covers Section V sports. E-mail Jeff at jdiveron@DemocratandChronicle.com.
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